When missions were first commenced among the Greenlanders, they had
had but little intercourse with Europeans: it was different when the
brethren visited Labrador--the Esquimaux had been long acquainted with
Europeans, but of the baser sort, and had lost many of the original
features of savage life, without, however, gaining any thing better in
their place. Their communication with these wretches, who disgraced
the term civilized, corrupted their morals, and did not improve their
knowledge, taught them wants, without teaching them how to supply
them, except by theft. When the missionaries latterly came in contact
with Esquimaux, who were previously unacquainted, or but little
acquainted, with white men, they found them comparatively mild and
honest. On a voyage of observation, they landed at Nachrack, and they
report, "We found," say they, "the people here, differing much in
their manners from the people at Saeglak. Their behaviour was modest,
and rather bashful, nor were we assailed by beggars and importunate
intruders. We had no instance of stealing. Thieves are considered by
the Esquimaux in general with abhorrence, and with a thief no one is
willing to trade." Latter voyagers have borne similar testimony to
their brethren still further north; but their honesty seems to have
arisen from the want of temptation; for the same missionaries add: "We
have discovered that this propensity is not altogether wanting in the
northern Esquimaux, who now and then, if they think they can do it
without detection, will make a little free with their neighbour's
property." And a further acquaintance with the natives discovered to
the northern navigators, that first impressions are not always to be
relied upon, for even the fair damsels could slyly secrete pewter
plates, spoons and other valuables in the capacious trunks of their
hose-boots; but those near the European settlements had improved in
wickedness, and got ingrafted on their own vicious propensities new